Need You Now
by Invader Phoenix
Summary: Fights happened. Mistakes were made. But no matter what, they couldn't keep denying that they needed each other. Oneshot, ZATR. Based off of "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum.


**This story is based off of "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum. I hope you enjoy, and please R&R!**

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><p>"I can't believe you! Why would you even THINK that that would be a good idea?"<p>

"I thought it would help our cover!"

"If anything, it made it worse!"

"But we're fine now!"

"Only because I got you out of that mess!"

"YOU LIE!"

"No, I'm not lying, and you KNOW it! See what happens when you try to do things like this? You ruin everything, you useless IDIOT!"

Zim drew back at the insult. His girlfriend just ground her teeth together and clenched her fists tighter.

"You heard me," Tak growled. "You aren't good for anything."

The other stood straighter. No one could get away with delivering such insults to him! Not even her. "Why should I care what you think?" he retorted. "What good do you bring to this world, exactly? Because you haven't given it any."

"As if you have room to talk!"

He turned and walked toward the door of their home. "You won't have to worry about that anymore. I don't need you. I'm never speaking to you again."

"Ditto," Tak snarled. "Make my day."

He shot her a mocking glance and slammed the door behind him.

Stomping against the cold pavement, Zim looked above him. _Good riddance,_ he thought. _She's never done anything good for you. _

But what could he do now? Really, what was there for him to do? Under no circumstance would he return to that _demon_ who had just slandered him. In addition, he'd be embarrassed to talk to anyone he knew, and he would NEVER ask the humans. He tried to call to mind things he'd seen from the humans' 'movies' and television programs. Only one idea came to mind, and he wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to do there, or what to think of it…

Twenty minutes later, he pushed open a tinted set of doors and walked into the bar. The lighting was dim, but flashing TV screens displaying sports games and neon signs hung about the walls made up for it. He wasn't alone; at least three dozen humans were hanging about, shouting, laughing, and drinking odd-colored liquids. A nasty stench hung in the thick air. Overall, it seemed to Zim a horrid place.

He sat down on a stool, a few yards away from a pair of burly men. Rows of glass bottles were lined up along the back wall, as well as a multitude of cans. A small soda fountain faced the inside of the bar-top. A sloppily-dressed bartender approached him. "What're 'ya havin'?"

Zim didn't respond at first. The two monstrous men shot him a dirty look. _Looks like there's no getting out of this one,_ he thought. "Uh…" he glanced at the fountain, pointing to one nozzle at random.

The bartender nodded and pulled out a tall glass. He placed it under the nozzle, and it filled with an amber-colored liquid. Raising an eyebrow, he handed it to Zim.

The Irken eyed the drink curiously. What was this stuff? It gave off an odd aroma, not particularly pleasant. He noticed the two men giving him that look again. They each had a cup of a similar liquid in their hands.

With seemingly no other choice, he held the glass to his lips.

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><p>Tak looked around the base with tired eyes. She sighed, her mind wandering away once again from the book in her hands. For the last few hours, her thoughts wouldn't settle. No matter what she tried, she just kept thinking of that wretch…<p>

_No,_ she commanded herself. _It isn't worth your thought. You don't have anything to do with him anymore._ _You're leaving this place in the morning. Just…forget it._

Narrowing her eyes in fury, Tak walked over to a small photo album. She pulled a picture out of it. A simple picture of them, nothing too special. But now the snapshot filled her with rage. She tore it in half, dropping the pieces on the floor. More pictures fell on the cold metal ground, some torn, some crumpled, and others unaffected.

Tossing the empty album aside, Tak sat on the floor, placing her arms on her knees. She didn't move, not caring about how much time had passed. Growing stiff, an awful thought passed through her psyche. _Alone…_ GIR and MiMi were who knows where now, and Zim was gone…

She was completely and utterly alone.

Burying her face in her hands, she sighed. What was she doing? This whole thing…it was just stupid. She couldn't hide forever, and throwing this idiotic fit wouldn't change the truth. She'd been alone for so long before, but now she couldn't handle it. There would always be something she needed…

Tak glanced at the clock. 1:15. All that time, wasted. Rising to her feet, she headed for the phone. Just as she placed her hand on the receiver, it rang.

"Hello?"

A quivering, slightly slurred voice replied, "T-take me home."

* * *

><p>She found him leaning against a phone booth, rubbing his temples. The street was small, displaying only a hardware store, a bar, and a gas station. Zim looked up to see the sleek black car that Tak had bought to strengthen her cover. Trudging over with heavy steps, he opened the car door and sat down.<p>

Tak pulled away, giving him an odd look. "What were you doing?"

Zim slumped back. "Just…something stupid."

He resumed massaging his forehead. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get this headache to go away. The world was slightly fuzzy, he felt sick, and though he was conscious of his thoughts, they were a bit muddled. _How can the humans STAND this?_ Zim thought with a tiny moan. Everything about his experience at the bar was awful. The place was a dump. The humans there acted either sullen or insane. And those drinks…HORRIBLE, and they made him feel like this. _I'm NEVER going to those filthy 'bar' things again._

After the long, silent ride home, Zim opened the door. Tak followed him in, but still neither spoke. The headache was worse now. Peeling off his wig and lenses, he walked toward his room.

Tak had just turned off the hologram for her disguise when Zim tripped over nothing and fell to the ground.

_What..?_ She thought. Memories of his voice on the phone, the sight of the street with the phone booth, and his odd gait washed over her.

She moved toward him and kneeled down. Zim winced as she placed his head on her lap. "Zim…" she began. "…are you drunk?"

He didn't know much about how he was feeling, but he did have a vague understanding of what the word meant. "K-kind of…"

Tak closed her eyes. "You really are an idiot."

"It…was stupid; I-I know," Zim replied, his voice still shaky and indistinct. "But I d-didn't have any clue where to g-go and found myself in the wr-wrong place…" He looked down and took note of the pictures strewn around to room.

Tak avoided his gaze. "I did some pretty stupid things, too…"

Zim actually grinned. "Th-then I guess we're even."

She helped him to stand, supporting his frame as they entered his room. He shakily lay down. "Thanks," he whispered. "I…needed you tonight."

Tak was a bit surprised to hear him thank her, given his usual egotism. Turning back just outside the door frame, she smiled. "I needed you, too."

The she-Irken closed the door, hardly hearing his trembling whisper.

"I love you."

She walked to her own room and drew her own bed sheets around her. Shutting her eyes, she knew that there would always be something she needed…

"I love you, too."

And she was fine with that.


End file.
